End standard for an auditorium chair or the like



Dec. 23, 1958 J. MACHIELSE ET AL 2,865,438

END STANDARD FOR AN AUDITORIUM CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed April 25; 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Jlzn Mac'lzz'elae, Irving .B.M0t'gat1 Q" Gerald L. Weaver BY macaw ATTORNEY WITNESS d/wmy SQ/www Dec. 23, 1958 J. MACHIELSE ET Al,

END STANDARD FOR AN AUDITORIUM CHAIR OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1958 w m1 lllllllHlHHl WWI m INVENTORS V? w m m if 3 2 J5 Waldhcg ATTORNEY END STANDARD FOR AN AUDITORIUM CHAIR I OR THE LIKE .lan Machielse, Erving B. Morgan, and Gerald L. Weaver, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich a corporation of New Jersey Application April 25, 1958, Serial No. 731,007

6 Claims; (Cl. 155-191) The present invention relates to chairs for auditoriums, theaters and the like, and more particularly to end standards on which the seats and backs of such chairs are mounted.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide an end standard for auditorium chairs and the like which is fabricated of sheet metal; to provide such a standard in which the basic structural supporting elements are fabricated of stock, cross-sectionally square metal tubing; to provide such a standard which may or may not include aisle-lighting means; and in general to provide such an end standard which is extremely simple in construction, economical in manufacture and attractive in appearance.

illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an auditorium chair mounted on two of the new end standards, the near standard being provided with aisle-lighting means and the far standard being without such means;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the far standard taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the near standard taken on lines 3-3 of Figures 1 and 4;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on lines 55 of Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on lines 6-6 of Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 7 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary inside elevational view of certain parts of the standard which are shown in smaller scale in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 88 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view of parts thereof taken on line 99 of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view of other parts thereof taken on line 1tl-1ti of Figure 7.

Referring now in detail to these drawings, the auditorium-type chair shown generally comprises a chair seat 11 and chair back 12 mounted on and between spaced, upright supporting standards 13 and 14. The near standard 14- is equipped for aisle lighting whereas the far standard 13 is not; otherwise the standards are basically the same in construction and hence only the standard 14 is herein shown and described in detail. It is fabricated principally of metal parts, and the basic structural elements of the standard are a pair of vertical posts-a front post 15 and rear post 16-of cross-sectionally square metal tubing, the posts being disposed in forwardly-rearwardly spaced parallel relation with their outer side faces in the same vertical plane.

A rectangular, sheet metal outer panel 17 encloses the area between the outer faces of the square metal posts 15, 16, said outer panel 17 having continuous inwardly extending flanges at all four of its edges, being a front flange 18, rear flange 19, top flange and bottom flange nite States Patent *0 2,865,438 Patented Dec. 23, 1958 "ice 21. The front flange 18 and rear flange 19 are welded to the rear and front walls respectively of the posts 15 and 16. An arm rest 22, which may be of wood, is secured to the outer panels top flange 20 by means of screws 23, and said arm rest 22 conceals the uppermost extremities of posts 15, 16 and said outer panel 17.

A metal angle bracket 24 extends forwardly-rearv/ardly between the posts 15, 16 and is welded to said posts at the approximate level of the chair seat. This angle bracket 24 has a vertical flange 25 spaced inwardly from the outer panel 17, and a horizontal flange 26 which extends inwardly from the upper edge of the vertical flange. This horizontal flange 26 has a slot 27 (see Figures 7-10) for the reception of a bolt 28 by means of which a mounting bracket 29 on the chair seat 11 is secured to the angle bracket 24, the bolt 28 being provided with a nut30 threaded on its lower end. The angle bracket 24 is thus adapted for the attachment and support of one side of the chair seat 11.

A sheet metal inner panel 31 is welded to the rear post 16 and to the angle bracket 24, and comprises a front wall 32 which slopes from a point near the middle of the angle bracket 24 upwardly and rearwardly to a point near the top of the rear post 16, and an inner side wall 33 which is spaced inwardly from and is parallel to the outer panel 17. This inner panel 31 and the rear post 16 have threaded apertures for the reception of screws 34 (see Figure 4) by means of which a mounting bracket 35 on the chair back 12 is secured to the inner panel 31, and the inner panel, is thus adapted for the attachment and support of one side of the chair back 12.

A light-emitting opening 36 is provided in the upper middle region of the outer panel 17 of the standard 14, and a lamp housing 37 is secured to the standard adjacent said opening by means of screws 38, 39 passing through apertures in tabs 40, 41 on the inner wall of the lamp housing 37 and threaded into the inner panel 31 and the front post 15 respectively. The lamp housing 37 is formed so as to fit between the upper portions of the inner panels front wall 32 and the rear wall of the front post 15. A lamp 42 is mounted in the housing 37 for emitting light rays through the opening 36, the lamp being seated in a socket element 43 secured by a screw 44 to a metal strap 45 which in turn is secured to the front and rear walls of the housing by means of screws 46, 47 (see Figures 7 and 9).

Electrical connections comprise lead wires 48, 49 which extend from a source (not shown) beneath the auditorium floor upwardly through a conduit 51 attached at its upper end to the angle bracket 24, through an opening in said bracket, thence upwardly between the outer panel 17 and the inner panel 31, through openings in the inner panels front wall and the lamp housings rear wall, and which wires are connected to terminals 51, 52 on the lamp socket 43, for illuminating the lamp. The lead wires are thus fully enclosed and concealed.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a novel and attractive chair end standard which is chiefly fabricated from square metal tubing and formed sheet metal parts welded together, and which can therefore be economically manufactured. It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to or by details of the particular construction shown and described herein but comprehends within its spirit all such modification thereof as fall within the scope of the following claims.

We claim: 1

1. An end standard for an auditorium chair or the like, comprising: a pair of vertical posts of straight, crosssectionally square metal tubing disposed in forwardlyrearwardly spaced parallel relation with their outer side faces in the same vertical plane; a flat sheet metal outer 3 panel extending between the posts and provided with inwardly extending vertical flanges at the front and rear edges thereof, said front and rear flanges bemg spotaeeaaee wel ed to the rear and front walls respectively of the front and rear posts; and an arm rest secured at the top of theouter panel and the posts and concealing the up,- permost extremities thereof.

2. An end standard according to claim 1 in which a bracket is secured to the posts inwardly of the outer panel and at the approximate level of the chair seat and adapted for the attachment and support of one side of the chair seat, and having an inner panel secured to the rear post and the bracket, said inner panel being flush with the inner side face of the rear post and being adapted for the attachment and support of one side of the hair back.

3. An end standard for an auditorium chair or the like, comprising: spaced outer and inner panels, said outer panel having a light-emitting opening through the upper middle region thereof above the level of the seat; a lamp-housing mounted adjacent said opening; a lamp in the housing for emitting light rays through said opening; and electrical connections extending upwardly and concealed between said panels and into said housing to said lamp for illuminating the lamp, said inner panel serving to shield the chair occupant from the electrical connections above the seat.

4. An end standard for an auditorium chair or the like, comprising: a pair of vertical posts of straight, cross-sectionally square metal tubing disposed in forwardly-rearwardly spaced parallel relation with their outer side faces in the same vertical plane; a flat rectangular sheet metal outer panel enclosing the upper area between the outer side faces of said posts, said outer panel having continuous inwardly extending flanges at the front, rear and top thereof, said front and rear flanges being welded to the rear and front walls respecangle bracket is welded between the posts at the ap proximate seat level of the chair and has a horizontal flange adapted for the attachment and support of one side of the chair seat, and in which a sheet metal inner panel is welded to the rear post and to the angle bracket and hasan inner side wall adapted for theattachment and support of one side of the chair back.

6. An end standard for an auditorium chair or the like, comprising: a pair of vertical posts of straight, cross-sectionally square metal tubing disposed in forwardly-rearwardly spaced parallel relation with their outer side faces in the same vertical plane; a flat rectangular sheet metal outer panel completely enclosing the area between the outer side faces of said posts except for a light-emitting opening through its upper middle region, said outer panel having continuous inwardlyextending flanges at the front, rear, top and bottom thereof, said front and rear flanges being welded to the rear and front walls respectively, of the front and rear posts; an arm rest secured to the inwardly extending top flange of the outer panel and concealing the uppermost extremities of said outerv panel and the posts; an angle bracket extending forwardly-rearwardly between the posts and welded thereto at the approximate seat level of the chair, said angle bracket having a vertical flange spaced inwardly from the outer panel and a horizontal flange extending inwardly from the upper edge of the vertical flange and adapted for the attachment and support of one side of the chair seat; a sheet metal inner panel welded to the rear post and to the angle bracket and comprising a front wall sloping from a point near the middle of the angle bracket to a point near the top of the rear post and an inner side wall adapted for the attachment and support of one side ofthe chair back; a lamp housing mounted between the upper portions of the inner panels front wall and the front posts rear wall; a lamp mounted in the housing for emitting light rays through the opening in the outer panel; and electrical connections extending upwardly between said outer and inner panels, through an opening in the inner panels front wall and into the lamp housing, and to said lamp for illuminating the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,755,997 Merrill et al. Apr. 22, 1930 1,981,316 Hamilton Nov. 20, 1934 2,114,880 King Apr. 19, 1938 2,278,856 Jiranek Apr. '7, 1942 2,451,396 Macloed Oct. 12, 1948 2,595,582 Hoven et al. May 6, 1952 2,602,493 Burdict July 8, 1952 2,635,681 Hiltman et al. Apr. 21, 1953 2,652,881 Rowe Sept. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 619,322 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1949 

